Three thugs have been found guilty of kicking and stabbing a teenage rapper to death in a “violent, pre-planned” attack in south London.
Rodney Mukasa, 20, of Green View Avenue, Croydon and Ali Zahawy, 19, of Bramble Close, Croydon were found guilty of the murder of 19-year-old Andre Aderemi at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.
Fabio Cela, 19, of Fryston Avenue, Croydon, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter.
At time of his murder Andre, who was becoming well known in south London’s grime scene, was living in Chatham in Kent, having moved away from the capital as a result of a long-running feud with Cela.
The pair had fallen out and there were several violent confrontations between them in the months leading up to the murder, police said.
Andre, a former John Ruskin College pupil, was chased by a group of men carrying knives and other weapons – including a metal police – and a white vehicle in Croydon last year.
The gang caught up with him after a short chase, and he fell to the ground where he was stabbed and kicked until he was unconscious.
The suspects then got into the vehicle and drove off.
Police and paramedics raced to Monks Hill Estate in Heather Way at about 7.40pm on August 16 to reports of a stabbing.
An air ambulance was also scrambled and found Andre with multiple stab wounds and other injuries.
Andre was rushed to a south London Hospital but died later that evening.
A post-mortem examination carried out the following day gave cause of death as a stab wound to the chest.
Andre's family were forced to move out of London over fears for their safety several weeks before the murder.
Police said upon learning that Andre would be visiting south London, Cela, Mukasa and Zahawy planned to attack him and armed themselves.
DCI Sam Price, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Andre was killed in a violent pre-planned attack which was the culmination of a long-running feud with Cela and his accomplices.
"Andre and his family had moved out of the Croydon area because of this bitter animosity.
"Upon learning that Andre was due to return to south London for a visit, his attackers armed themselves, found him and chased him down and then beat and stabbed him, inflicting fatal injuries.
"This is another tragic case of senseless violence amongst young men which has resulted in a death.
"These three men now face a considerable sentence for their roles in this brutal murder.”
Cela and Mukasa were arrested the day after the incident and charged with murder. Zahawy was arrested on Sunday, August 21.
They will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Thursday.
